May 14, 2013

Fresh pork, darkest-dark chocolate, and my Survivor application

We're back from Old Kentucky, and the kids are already planning their next trip up, which they are hoping to take tomorrow or, at the latest, the next day.

Rest stop at the AL state line.

This dude got down in the kitchen and made a gluten-, sugar-, and dairy-free meal for Mom's Day. I was so darn excited about it!

He even made some kefir/cocoa/pistachio/honey popsicles. These are the kind of thing that only taste amazing to you if you haven't been eating regular ice cream lately, and it turns out that I had been doing that this weekend because if Banana Pudding Blue Bell ice cream is near my face, I will eat it. Plus it was vacation. So when I tried the homemade pops on Sunday night, not as delicious (day one after refined sugar fest), but by Monday (day two of no refined sugar), they were already starting to taste amazing to me. So I guess the point of that is, I'm always surprised by how real food tastes so much better when you aren't eating as many fake food/food-like products.

The rest of the meal was ground pork, corn tortillas, sautéed peppers and apples (amazing combo that I have never considered), homemade bean salsa, and avocado. The pork is fresh from a slaughtered pig (sorry for the visualization for you vegetarians/vegans out there) that my husband's brother has access to as an employee at a pig improvement company. His job, which I'm sure I'm butchering (pun slightly intended), is to find the leanest, fastest-growing pigs and bring them together to procreate more lean and fast-growing pigs. But all you really need to know is that fresh pork tastes amazing, especially the bacon that we had last night. No wonder so many people tried the Atkins diet.

Even though we started dinner at the table, I had to take my plate to the TV zone to watch the season finale of Survivor. So one million years later, and this show never gets old to me. I want to live it. So I looked up applying that night, and there was Probst's face calling me to duty.

Seriously, I think I'm going to apply. Because it is the longest shot in the universe that I get in, I'm not going to worry about who will take care of my four kids for 39 days while I'm out winning. But wait a second, for real, what do people do with their kids while they're on Survivor?

Other things I'm looking forward to this week: testing these Feetures socks that I got in the mail yesterday. The bright colors are speaking to me.

Next thing I'm testing: a million bars of dark chocolate that I purchased at Publix last night. I use dark chocolate to ease the pain of other cravings. A bar of this can last a really long time because it satisfies a craving without eating a huge portion, whereas with Blue Bell, I need to eat the whole container to feel happy. At one point, chocolate this dark just tasted like dirt to me, but (refer to paragraph three above) as my taste buds are slowly moving away from more sugariness, the darkest-dark chocolate has become my favorite.

Have you ever had fresh meat? We've also had fresh beef from my in-laws' farm, and it is really delicious too. It is always much leaner than anything I buy at the supermarket.

Any fans of Feetures socks out there? This is my first time trying them, but I've seen them for sale locally too (at Alabama Outdoors).

If you could be on any show, what would it be? Definitely Survivor. Or Amazing Race. Or any show where they throw you in the middle of some weirdo scenario and ask you to try and beat each other. Or I'd like a cameo in Arrested Development -- waiting very impatiently for May 26th.

34 comments:

Dang! I am jealous! I absolutely adore Feetures! socks. In fact, I will dig out a pair from the dirty laundry rather than wear one of my 5,000 other-brand socks!If you end up hating them (not gonna happen) I'll be more than happy to take them off your hands :)

I've never had fresh meat (that I can recall), but I've been vegetarian for 4 years and pork is actually one of the meats that least appeals to me. Okay, they all least appeal to me, but when I think about "if i ever had to go back to meat, what would I eat?" Pork is #1 on the list of things I will NOT eat. For some reason, I am under the impression that it is a "dirty meat" and I am just turned off by it! I think the darkest I've tried is 85%. I really like endangered species dark chocolate (because i'm an environmentalist and a chocolate lover and part of the proceeds go towards the animal pictured on the bar--or so they tell me). Could I be on my own show? I think it would be a pretty hilarious sitcom. I actually had a friend tell me "you should have a camera follow you around, because you do some pretty weird/hilarious things and it would make for good TV"

I'd love to see you apply for Survivor- why not?! :) I'm the same way with sweet things- when I go off sugar, everything tastes amazing. I like cacao nibs too, (on a rice cake with almond butter, or mixed into trail mix) and all forms of dark chocolate, especially Endangered Species mint. Mmm.

You should totally apply for Survivor!I want to be on Amazing Race in the worst way--and the most recent season's itinerary would have pretty much been my dream "race around the world".Love dark chocolate...bought some at Whole Foods this week that's made in Nashville and also had cinnamon and chili powder in it...delicious!

Gah! You totally have to apply for Survivor!! I can take a kid!I have a friend whose parents owns a farm and they get a whole cow every year...but that's as close as I've come to fresh meat (and I've never had any).I've tried 85% chocolate but I really like 60%. Oh, how I miss it so. It's day 10 of the Whole30...20 more to go.

I can't say I ever had fresh meat like that. You dinner looked awesome by the way. Those socks look A-MA-ZING. Of course I have yet to see them in Canada. :( I've had 85% chocolate but my favourite is 70%. 85% is just a bit too bitter for me. I have no desire to be on Survivor. Maybe the Amazing Race though. Or a cameo on Modern Family. :)

I just discovered the amazingness of Banana Pudding Blue Bell ice cream a month ago. Spencer and I consumed the whole 1/2 gallon in 24 hours. We bought it again this weekend and we were way conservative this time around and finished it in 48 hours. No self control. Please go on survivor!!! I will watch your kids!!!

Just saw your Arrested Developmetn comment...My sister's fiancé did a cameo on that show. Check out his picture on this blog about Arrested Development, he's #23:http://splitsider.com/2012/08/53-arrested-development-jokes-you-probably-missed/

My dark chocolate fix comes in the form of dark chocolate/chocolate chips that I buy in the bulk/natural food section of my market. They are gluten free, vegan and only 35 calories (if you're into that sort of thing) per tablespoon. I like that they are small so I can savor them slowly, one at a time. Yummy with a cup of tea or a bowl of popcorn!I've considered applying for Survivor so I can get a vacation from my kids. Heck, get skinny and tan while not having to do dishes or laundry for a month? Sign me up!

This made me laugh so much because I would LOVE to go on the Biggest Loser. I say that at the end of every episode when they mention application! I'd be super fit, I'd have Jillian, Dolvett and Bob working with me, I'd eat healthily, I'd get to do challenges and win things, I'd get to go on holiday, I'd get MAKEOVER WEEK!! It would be awesome. Not going on TBL is the biggest downside to not being obese! Bring me the oreos NOW!!!

Fresh meat, often. We get pork and lamb from my parents farm. And venison when my dad gets a deer. It is so much better than store meat! Omg you should definitely apply for survivor!! You would be great. :)

I think you could totally do Survivor. That would be amazing!!I love Feetures socks! I hadn't even heard of them until they contacted me asking if I would do a review/giveaway. They're awesome!!I love ALL Blue Bell ice cream. Seriously, that is my fave brand!

We do eat fresh beef most of the time. Local farm meat is the best. I have not tried Feetures socks, but love those colors!! I am actually not a chocolate fan...............I know crazy. If I do eat it I like it super dark and bitter. The best kind!! As for Survivor I have never watched it. Crazy, right?! I love stuff like that too. I am and always will be an adrenaline junky. I love to rock climb and love hiking for days.